Chapman Taylor’s Catalina Ionita joins Roundtable discussion on “Does the Perfect Mixed-Use Development Exist?”
Dr Catalina Ionita, Senior Architect at Chapman Taylor, recently took part in a wide-ranging roundtable hosted by Material Source in Manchester, debating the question: “Does the perfect mixed-use development exist?”
During the discussion, Catalina observed that in many mixed-use schemes, residential use is often the catalyst, such as Build-to-Rent, co-living, or PBSA, with supporting functions layering around it to foster a healthy, coherent community. She emphasised the need to educate clients and stakeholders to look beyond project boundaries (the “red line”) and consider activation, programming, and context at a broader scale.
When asked about one of Chapman Taylor’s own projects, Trafford Wharfside (which recently won planning approval), Catalina reflected on it as a forward-thinking live-work framework: while its amenity base leans toward serving residential users, she sees it as a prototype for how living, working, and learning might integrate in future developments.
Catalina offered a measured view on perfection: “I don’t know if a perfect mixed-use development exists, she said, “but it has to be fit for the context, that’s what makes it perfect.”
To read the full article and dive deeper into the insights from other expert participants, see Material Source’s coverage:
“Does the perfect mixed-use development exist?”
To read the full article and dive deeper into the insights from other expert participants, see Material Source’s coverage:
“Does the perfect mixed-use development exist?”